BedrockServerTermux

Run a Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server on your Android device using Termux and Debian (proot-distro).

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Features
• Prerequisites
• Installation
• Running the Server
• Making Your Server Accessible
• Server Management
• Updating Your Server
• Accessing Files
• Installing Add-ons
• Configuration
• Troubleshooting
• Performance
• FAQ
• Contributing
• License
• Acknowledgments

Overview

BedrockServerTermux hosts a Minecraft Bedrock Edition server on Android without root access using:

• Termux — terminal emulator for Android
• proot-distro — runs a full Debian environment
• Box64 — ARM64 to x86_64 translation layer
• Playit.gg — tunneling service for internet access

Features

• No root required
• Simple installation scripts
• Version selection — latest stable, preview, or any specific version
• Multiple server instances in separate folders
• One-command updates with automatic world backup
• Built-in tunneling via Playit.gg

Prerequisites

• Android 7.0 or higher
• Minimum 2GB RAM (4GB+ recommended)
• 2GB+ free storage
• Termux from F-Droid — the Play Store version is outdated
• Stable internet connection

Installation

Step 1: Set up Debian in Termux

Open Termux and run:

apt update -y && apt upgrade -y
apt install wget -y
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/debojitsantra/BedrockServerTermux/refs/heads/main/setup_proot.sh
bash setup_proot.sh

After it finishes, log in to Debian:

pdd

or

proot-distro login debian

Step 2: Set up the server environment

Inside the Debian session:

apt update -y && apt upgrade -y
apt install wget -y
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/debojitsantra/BedrockServerTermux/refs/heads/main/setup_env.sh
bash setup_env.sh

The script will ask you to choose a version and install folder, then handle everything automatically — Box64, Playit, server download, and extraction.

Estimated time: 5–10 minutes depending on your connection.

Running the Server

You need two separate Termux sessions.

Session 1 — server:

pdd

cd ~
./run

If you have multiple server folders installed, run will list them and let you choose which one to start.

Session 2 — tunnel:

pdd

playit

Making Your Server Accessible

After running playit, open the displayed URL in a browser, create a free Playit account, claim your tunnel, and share the public address with players.

Server Management

Stop the server:

Type stop in the server session, or press Ctrl+C.

Available console commands:

• stop — gracefully stop the server
• list — list connected players
• kick <player> — kick a player
• ban <player> — ban a player
• save — force save the world

Full command reference: Minecraft Wiki — Commands

Updating Your Server

cd ~
./update.sh

The update script lets you choose the version and target folder, backs up your worlds automatically, then downloads and extracts the new server files.

Accessing Files

Debian files are at:

/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/var/lib/proot-distro/installed-rootfs/debian

To browse them from a file manager, create a symlink:

ln -s $PREFIX/var/lib/proot-distro/installed-rootfs/debian ~/debian

Then navigate to:

/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.termux/files/home/debian

Requires a file manager with Storage Access Framework support (Material Files, Solid Explorer, MiXplorer).

Installing Add-ons

Bedrock uses behavior packs and resource packs. Java mods (.jar) are not supported.

Step 1: Extract the pack

Rename .mcpack to .zip and extract it. The extracted folder must contain manifest.json at the root level.

Step 2: Place packs in server folders

server/
├── behavior_packs/
│   └── MyAddon_BP/
│       └── manifest.json
├── resource_packs/
│   └── MyAddon_RP/
│       └── manifest.json

Do not add extra subfolder levels.

Step 3: Find your world name

grep level-name ~/server/server.properties

Step 4: Enable the behavior pack

nano ~/server/worlds/<level-name>/world_behavior_packs.json

[
  {
    "pack_id": "UUID-FROM-BP-manifest",
    "version": [1, 0, 0]
  }
]

Step 5: Enable the resource pack

nano ~/server/worlds/<level-name>/world_resource_packs.json

[
  {
    "pack_id": "UUID-FROM-RP-manifest",
    "version": [1, 0, 0]
  }
]

The BP and RP UUIDs are different — copy each from their respective manifest.json.

Step 6: Enable experimental features if required

Add to server.properties:

experimental-gameplay=true

Step 7: Restart the server

stop
./run

If the pack loaded correctly you'll see Pack Stack - <AddonName> in the logs. Pack Stack - None means wrong UUID or missing folder.

Configuration

Edit server settings:

nano ~/server/server.properties

Key options:

| Option | Description | |--------|-------------| | server-name | Server display name | | gamemode | survival, creative, adventure | | difficulty | peaceful, easy, normal, hard | | max-players | Player limit | | view-distance | Render distance | | server-port | Default 19132 |

Save with Ctrl+X, Y, Enter.

Manual world backup:

cd ~/server
tar -czf world_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz worlds/

Troubleshooting

Server crashes immediately

• Make sure you're running ./run from ~
• Check available RAM (close background apps)
• Verify Box64 is installed: box64 --version
• If running an older specific version, it may be incompatible with Box64 on ARM — use latest stable instead

Players can't connect

• Verify Playit is running in a separate session
• Check tunnel status at playit.gg
• Confirm the server shows "Server started" in logs
• Make sure you're sharing the correct Playit address

Installation fails

• Run apt update before retrying
• Check internet connection and storage space
• Restart Termux and try again
• Confirm Termux is from F-Droid

Server is slow or laggy

• Lower view-distance to 4–6 in server.properties
• Lower max-players
• Close background apps
• Reduce max-threads according to your device(try 5-6)
• Keep device plugged in

Termux closes unexpectedly

• Run termux-wake-lock in Termux
• Disable battery optimization for Termux
• Enable "Don't kill my app" for Termux in device settings

If the issue isn't listed here, search existing issues or open a new one with your Android version, device model, RAM, and the full error output.

Performance

| RAM | Players | View distance | |-----|---------|---------------| | 2–3GB | 1–2 | 4–6 | | 4–6GB | 2–5 | 6–8 | | 8GB+ | 5–10 | 8–10 |

The server runs through Box64 (x86_64 → ARM64 translation), so CPU usage will be higher than native and some lag is expected compared to PC hosting.

FAQ

Do I need root? No.

Can I run multiple server versions? Yes. The setup and update scripts let you install each version into a separate folder. ./run lists all available servers at startup.

Is my world data safe during updates? The update script backs up your worlds before extracting new files.

Can I run this 24/7? Yes, keep the device plugged in, disable battery optimization for Termux, and use termux-wake-lock.

Can I use plugins? Behavior packs and resource packs are supported. Java plugins (Bukkit/Spigot) are not.

Can I play on the same device? Yes, connect using localhost:19132, but performance will be affected.

Does this work on tablets? Yes, any ARM64 Android device works.

How much data does hosting use? Roughly 50–200 MB per hour with active players.

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/your-feature
3. Commit your changes: git commit -m 'Add your feature'
4. Push to the branch: git push origin feature/your-feature
5. Open a pull request

Bug reports and documentation improvements are also welcome.

License

GPL-3.0 — see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Termux
• proot-distro
• Box64
• Playit.gg
• Mojang/Microsoft

---

<div align="center">

Report Bug · Request Feature · Documentation

</div>